Ardent Mills Launches Cocoa Replace — A Smart, Cost-Saving Alternative to Cocoa Powder
In response to skyrocketing cocoa prices and supply chain pressures, Ardent Mills, the leading flour-milling and ingredient solutions provider, has unveiled Cocoa Replace — a wheat-based, clean-label alternative designed to replace up to 25% of cocoa powder in baked goods.
With cocoa prices surging nearly 400% over the past decade ¹, Cocoa Replace delivers much-needed flexibility, cost savings, and supply assurance to manufacturers and bakeries.
🔗 Learn more for U.S. customers: Cocoa Replace USA
🔗 For Canadian customers: Cocoa Replace Canada
🛠️ A Simple, Label-Friendly Cocoa Solution
Unlike complex substitutes, Cocoa Replace is:
✅ Single-ingredient wheat-based
✅ Vegan, Kosher-certified, Non-GMO
✅ Minimal label changes in wheat-based products
Designed for cakes, brownies, cookies, and muffins, Cocoa Replace allows brands to maintain taste & texture while optimizing costs.
👅 Proven by Science & Sensory Testing
Ardent Mills conducted extensive sensory trials with trained panels & consumers. The results? Cocoa Replace closely mimics cocoa powder’s sensory experience, ensuring product satisfaction up to 25% substitution ².
🏭 Beyond Cost: Building Resilient Supply Chains
“Cocoa Replace is a targeted response to market volatility but also a strategic move to build supply chain resilience,”
— Angie Goldberg, Chief Growth Officer, Ardent Mills.
Ardent Mills’ innovation pipeline, including Egg Replace and now Cocoa Replace, empowers food brands to adapt swiftly to rising costs, clean-label demands, and consumer expectations.
“This solution showcases our R&D agility, transforming real-time market challenges into scalable innovations,”
— Sergio Machado, Sr. Director of R&D, Ardent Mills.
🌎 Ardent Mills: Innovating for a Better Food Future
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Ardent Mills connects consumers to plant-based, functional ingredients that nourish communities and drive sustainable food solutions.
🌐 Discover more at: www.ardentmills.com
¹ Source: Trading Economics
² Based on FMSS Inc. CLT with 54 consumers and sensory screening.
